Clemson win total--Sponsored by Halloween Express

Clemson 30

Maryland 17

"Daddy, I cannot see the Gamecocks in this weeks BCS poll, but I see Clemson."

"Seeing is Believing, Son. Seeing is Believing."

Sermon Recap--Unmasked

This week our worship area was decorated with black drop cloths and spiderwebs. Many Jack-o-Lanterns, ghosts and ghouls were on the walls, as well as a few Vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein monsters. The previous night was our annual Halloween Bash at Apache, and with another event on Wednesday--the decorations had to stay up. I decided to work the sermon around the decor. Here is the attempt:

It sure looks a bit different in here today. Actually, I have never preached in such an environment. I have been in churches with million dollar Tiffany windows, preached in some with clear windows, preached in places where one other person understood English, but never have I preached in a place decorated for Halloween. Last week, after the sermon, Carl Van Zandt reminded me that this would be the decor. I decided that it would be a good idea to use the season of Haunting and Witches to teach a point or two that we all need to hear again.

The church does a great job of telling people the things they cannot do. No drinking, No smoking, no cussing, No Harry Potter, No Rock Music, No Mexican Food (I think I heard that before), No this and no that. No Halloween...it's demonic and all that jazz.

Instead of boycotting this stuff of werewolves and vampires, today I wanted to look at Halloween as a metaphor for life and the games we play daily with ourselves, others and God.

What were some of the things you dressed up as as a child? (Answers were: princess, cowboy, cheerleader, ghost, witch. One man said that he dressed up as a girl scout troop leader and another man had dressed up as Salome. Never would have pictured that one!!)

Today, I have brought a few masks with me. Pardon me while I slide one on. (Place Spiderman mask)

When I was a little boy--I just loved Spiderman. In fact, I still do. Sliding this mask on makes me want to fight the enemy and jump up on this table and spin my web. One thing that I loved about Spiderman was the fact that when trouble would come he would always know it. His "spider-senses would tingle" and he would be able to avoid the issue most of the time. We all want to be something. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be special. I wanted to be anyone except Richard, and that is a shame.

Ladies still try to be the princess. They want to be beautiful and desired and noticed. Little girls want to be lovely and that is often emphasized more than intelligence. Sad, but look at the boom in cosmetic procedures in the United States. We are just not satisfied with who we are.

The second mask I have today is.....(Unveil Zorro eye covering).

That is right, I wanted to be Antonio Banderas. (Big Laughter)

As a little fellow, I would lay in bed and watch my black and white T.V., and this sword wielding man would carve a Z in the pants of the bad guy, or in the skirt of a lovely lady. Now, he was cool. I never understood why no one figured out who he was, since only his eyes were covered. He even had a cool voice and was super mysterious.

The mask that we use the most is the mask of ....(unveil blank face mask).


We hurt, and we keep it in. We are dying inside and the outside is a blank smile. This mask really shows the fear that we have of being authentic, real, not fake...true to ourselves.

This morning Rudy Cogle sang a familiar song for us during our offering time. "When He was on the Cross, I was on His Mind." Amazingly powerful, grace empowered words..."He knew me, yet He loved me." Now, that is the gospel. Good news for mask wearing cowards like us. Christ sees through our disguise and loves us still.

All this stuff around us trying to scare us, not just boogers and cobwebs, but heavy stuff like wars, and disasters, and murder and poverty and drug addiction and much, much more. What is the word of God for his people today. I struggled with several passages, but I just kept coming back to a verse we will look at again during the Advent season.

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be for all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

So familiar--I know it by heart, but yet at times, it is as if I never heard it. As I say it again, allow it to move you and cast away those things that are scaring you today.

Fear Not!! For Behold...I bring YOU!
Good News that will be like no other.
It is not just for you, but for all people.
This day, God wraps flesh around himself and comes near.
He is your rescuer, redeemer, and hero.

So, take off the masks and walk in the light that casts away the darkness.

If you care to try on these masks before you leave, then come on up. I just ask that we leave all our masks at the foot of the cross today. That is where evil has been conquered...now and forevermore.

If I were an M&M...

Forgive Me

No sermon recap this week due to lack of time for typing. I will be better next week, maybe, perhaps, hopefully.

I do want to let you know that we had 178 people in Worship Sunday. All I can say is "Wow!" It is great when 2 people show up to worship--it is tremendous when 100 people more than you plan for show up!!

Please check back, the recaps will pick back up next week. Please check out the prayer list--we have many sick people here at Apache and in our extended community.

Clemson win update by Douglas-Sponsored by Grands bisquits

Clemson 70

Some directional school 14

Have you heard about the new ride at the South Carolina State Fair?

It is named the Commodore Surprise. You start out High and then sink like a lead boot! Who knew Lionel Richie's old group was so talented?

Vandy 17

USC 6

Fortune Cookie from Saturday

*** God looks after you especially.

Yes, because I surely need it!!

Sermon Recap-Back to the Primary (school):Unclean

Over the past month or so, I have come to a jarring realization. Three year olds are just nasty little creatures. I just do not recall Douglas being disgusting as a little one, but I realize that often parents are jaded. This is similar to the fact that all babies born naturally look like trolls. I was so proud that Douglas did not look like one--until I looked back at his baby pictures. There looking back at me was a little troll. But at least he was my troll!!

I see from the looks on your face that you may not agree with me. But each morning as I walk into class, I am greeted by kids around a table with food all over their faces and in the floor. After they finish eating and are cleaned up they come forward to the carpet for the "formal" instruction time. Kids sneeze and stuff flies everywhere. When you and I sneeze, we have great decorum and control. A three year old handles sneezes in terms of the Richter scale. Green stuff goes flying and ends up on the person beside them and in their hair and all over everything.

Then we have dirty diapers, and then lunch. Lunch is extraordinary mess on a grander scale. Then we head to the playground. This week, the child that I shadow started licking the playground equipment. Yuck!!

The scriptures talk a good bit about clean and unclean. Today, we encounter a crazy, unclean man and a story that is hard to forget.

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man

Mark 5:1-13

So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don't torture me!" For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit." Then Jesus demanded, "What is your name?" And he replied, "My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man." Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. "Send us into those pigs," the spirits begged. "Let us enter them."

So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

This story is filled with uncleanliness. Jesus was in a "Gentile" village. Non Jewish people were considered to be defiled. Jesus met a man filled with an evil spirit. Possession was also a sign of being unclean. The demoniac lived among the dead. There were tombs all around him. You guessed it, another sign of uncleanliness.

Jesus cast out the demons into swine--UNCLEAN creatures!!

As you came in today you were given a rock. The demoniac was so numb to life he would cut himself with stones. This may have been the only time that he actually felt alive. He had no interaction with normalcy. He was uncontrollable, unliked, unkept, and unclean.

The Gospel impacts his life. On this day, God in the flesh passes through and he is never to be the same. In Christ--he and we are new creatures. We are no longer unclean-for God looks at us and sees the righteousness of Christ.

The demoniac did not need to beat himself up any longer--he was changed. This raving lunatic that had been the talk of the town was still the talk of the town. Now however, it was for different reasons.

Now you would think that the crowd would have been overjoyed to have Christ in their midst. He had cast out the demons of the town loon and maybe life could now return to normal. Instead, the crowd asked Jesus to leave the town and leave them alone. Hmmm, isn't that odd.

You and I are healed, redeemed and freed from the shackles and chains of sin. We have a new purpose and mission in life, but so often forget that we are FREE. Look at that rock in your hand. Today it represents those things that are holding you back from being free. Do we dare choose to keep cutting ourselves with the rock when Christ beckons us to give it all to him.

In sixth grade at a talent show at school I sang a song before the crowd. I have no idea why I liked the song so much. But looking back on it 26 years later, I can appreciate the words more and more. In fact, I think the demon possessed man would appreciate it too!

Are you tired of chasing pretty rainbows?
And are you tired of spinning 'round and 'round?
Wrap up all the shattered dreams of your life
And at the feet of Jesus lay them down

Chorus:
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
Shattered dreams, wounded hearts and broken toys
Give them all, give them all, give them all to Jesus
And He will turn your sorrow into joy

Verse:
He never said, you'd only see sunshine
He never said, there'd be no rain
He only promised a heart full of singing
About the very things that once brought pain

Repeat Chorus

And He will turn your sorrow into joy!

Today when you leave this service, I want you to take that rock and chunk it far out into the ocean. Feel it leave your hand, watch it spin and fly through the air, and hear it splash down into the surf. Jesus wants you to give Him your fears and doubts and sickness and broken dreams. Remember that he has move our sins as far away as the East is from the West. Cast those problems into the sea of Forgetfulness.

Now, I do not want to look out and see you trying to find the rock in the bottom of the ocean. Once you give it to Christ--let him keep it! When you think of it this week--remember, it is gone! You chunked it, he grabbed it and you carry it no more. Those rocks are heavy, but Christ gladly takes them--because they are burdens of HIS children.

**Great conversations and prayers after the service. It seems that many were freed today. Let's pray that they keep it that way.

Sermon Recap-Back to the Primary (School) "Teachable Moments"

Another sermon delivered on a smurfingly lovely day on Apache Pier

This is the third week of a sermon series focusing on events from the Primary school. This is a good place to start, because we have things (ideas and theology, precepts and opinions) that were learned and formed early on in our educational process. Many of these foundational principles have been forgotten and are in need of revisitation and as my Grandma used to say, "I need to learn you a thing or two." Guess what, I need to learn too!

Have you messed up this week? I mean really messed up--royally well? Maybe it was not even a big mess up, but you still have issues.

We have had an exciting week at the primary school. On Friday, Sarah got a knock on her door and Douglas was standing beside his teacher. His class had been looking in the new aquarium that had been set up to help the kids have responsibility in caring for animals and understanding how they live. Douglas, while looking down into the fish tank, SPIT into it. A big oops on his part, or as they say in school, "A Bad Choice."

His dad had taught him the fine art of spitting. We do not do this often. But usually when we look off the side of the pier--we spit and watch it sail in the breeze until it hits the water. I see that you ladies look disgusted--so I must ask the men, "Did your Dad teach you to spit?" (Almost 80% of the males were multi-generational spitters) My flaw in teaching Douglas to spit was the necessary direction of "when and where." He did not get in trouble in this instance...I did.

This week our kids went out to recess. I was watching my 3 yr old autistic child like a hawk. He ran around and played and climbed up the slide and slid down several times. He made another climb up and I waited for 20 seconds and he did not come down. There were several teachers on the large playground equipment where he was hidden from my view. I just knew everything was fine. Another 15 seconds passed...and no little guy. I walked around the equipment and he was NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. I was frozen, unable to move, my mind raced but I stood heavy legged and still. Then I was startled to my senses and took off looking for him.

It is of no use to call out his name. He does not recognize or respond. Once he stops running he never stops. I went over to the other playground and scanned quickly for a stocky kid with tight braids. No such luck. I ran into the classroom to see if he happened to be there. I prayed that he was playing in the toilet. No such luck.

I walked out of the classroom and turned around and there he was in the tight grasp of the school disciplinarian. "You're fired, Mr. Jenkins," she said with a wry smile. I told her what had happened. She saw the sweat pouring out of my head and heard the shaking in my voice. "Mr. Jenkins, we are all in this together. Another staffer saw him running wide open through the lunchroom with no plans on slowing down. Everything is OK, you are doing a great job with him, just be careful. Guess what? A kid got away from me one time, too." I took a deep breath and FIRMLY grasped his little hand. We walked back out to the playground.

Jesus was one who took advantage of teachable moments. In a familiar story that is often shared on Easter or the week following--he teaches the right point at the right time.

John 21 (New Living Translation)
Epilogue: Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”

“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was.

He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
“No,” they replied.
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said.

So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said.

None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish.

Teachable moment--The disciples tried it their way and failed. After being a witness to the resurrected Christ and following His direction...amazing things happened. Often the emphasis of this story is on the huge amounts of fish caught and the net not tearing. Now, that is true and amazing. But this time, as I read this story the part that jumped out at me was the fact that Jesus gave them credit for the catch.

Now, if that had been you or I, we would have bragged and said, "I thought you were Sons of Fishermen. It is good that I called you to be a fisher of men, because you all are lousy fisher of fish. Look at what I did, I told you where they were and you caught them. You do not even need a depth finder with me around. Look at me. Look at Me. Bow down to me!!

Amazingly, the story does not end there. Not only does Jesus give them credit for catching the fish--he cooks breakfast and serves them. This is far more than a breakfast, He is teaching a valuable lesson about serving his flock. If the resurrected Christ can serve, if God in the flesh can serve, if out loving Saviour can serve---then certainly we are to serve as well.

When I walked back to the playground, one of the teachers was letting another one of the aides "have an ear full" about propping a door open. We had received several emails about making sure all the doors were closed, and the only way that my little guy could have escaped so quickly was to run in this propped open door. It only took a second, and he had escaped. Blame was being thrown around.

I walked over to the culprit. I looked at her and said, "The door should not have been open, but if I had been watching more closely--the propped open door would have been irrelevant.

Now-I do not have a Messiah complex. I am far from being Christlike-much less Christ. But in this teachable moment, I realized that she knew her mistake. She shared responsibility, but most of it was mine. She needed grace, I had been offered some by the administrator inside the school, and now it was my turn to extend some.

Jesus gives us credit for the good and takes our sin. We get his righteousness and He took the wrath of God on our behalf. Why are we so quick to take ALL the credit and pass ALL the blame?

I guess none of you will ask me to babysit for you. Your kid will know how to spit--if I do not lose him.

Isn't it good that Christ came to seek and save those that were lost? Thanks be to God.

I can't even look!

Clemson 23

Va Tech 41

September Reads

Stories of Emergence: Moving from Absolute to Authentic

* * * *

My pleasure reading has almost stopped. I enjoyed this book, and have read a lot of emerging church stuff over the last 3 months. I have about 6 more to knock out, and at the rate I am going, January 2009 will mark completion.

Sermon Recap--Back to the Primary (school)-Recess

This is the second sermon of a series called "Back to the Primary." There are some basic things about our faith that we need to remember. We have learned them--but somewhere along the way have forgotten. This series has been inspired by the time I am spending in the Primary school shadowing a three year old.

Looking out over this group, I have an idea that most of you had the same feelings about school and education. So the question for you this morning is: "What was your favorite part about school ?" The entire crowd answered..."Recess."

Just what I had anticipated!!

My job of watching my little guy is a lot of fun. In fact it is pretty easy in the rectangular confines of the classroom. The real challenge occurs when we venture outside to the playground area. This is a fairly small area, but it is not totally enclosed. If I lose sight of him for just a second..he could be anywhere on the primary school campus.

In the middle of the playground is a huge combination piece of equipment. It is one of those big climbing things with 4 or 5 slides, a walking bridge, and other fun and colorful attractions for little ones. My little dude likes to run away from me and play the "you cannot get me" game. He gets on the far side of the equipment and looks at me and laughs. He is a non verbal child--no speaking--but he can laugh with the best of them.

Now I love trickery and aggravation. I prefer to be on the giving end of the process. West Virginia lost in Football on Friday evening, and Saturday morning, Alan Gordon and Jenn were walking past my place and I just had to open the door and give them a hard time. I knew that I should not do that, but I just had to do it. Guess what? This morning he ran right up to me to return the favor.

Friday morning was a normal morning--running around trying to get everything ready for school. I grabbed a pack of peanut butter crackers and Douglas and his book bag and everything else I needed. He was snug in the car seat and we took off. I could not find my crackers. I felt in the seat, between the seat, under the seat...all while driving down Kings Hwy. I asked Douglas if he had my crackers, and he answered, "No."

I pulled over and parked and we ran into Krispy Kreme for a coffee. I know what you are thinking. No, I did not get any doughnuts....just coffee. I looked in the back seat, still no crackers. Before school is the only time that I can eat breakfast and it looked like the stomach would be growling.

As we were pulling into the school, Douglas said, "Look Daddy what I have. Can Douglas eat Daddy's crackers ?" I could not help but laugh. He had hid those from me all the way down the road. He had put them in his pocket when we went in Krispy Kreme, and watched me look all over the car for them. A great job of hiding--wouldn't you say?

We all do a lot of hiding. It seems so fruitless to play hide and seek with an all knowing God.

Genesis 3:8-13

When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
“Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

Hiding from God, naked and ashamed, they attempted to cover up. We still do the same thing today.

He made us to have fellowship with Him. He wants us to worship and enjoy Him forever.

Do we enjoy God? Or do we spend a lot of time trying to cover up our authentic selves from Him? Guess what? He knows us already.

This past week I was talking to someone and asked them if I could pray for them. The reply came and was meant to be humorous--but also spoke to a deeper truth. "I am sure that God has much more important things to worry about." In effect, they were saying, "I am not sure that my stuff matters or that I matter to God.

We have a little guy in our class that is so smart. His issue is impulsive and aggressive behavior. We were walking out to recess and I had my pupil with my right hand and the impulsive child with my left. Mr. Left hand and I had a conversation. Well, actually it was mostly me talking--but he was a captive audience.

"Now when the door opens, we need to let the other children go out first. I want you to have a lot of fun on the playground. No pushing, wait you turn and make good choices." His reply-"Yes sir."

The door opened-he jerked free, ran past the children and up the slide. The class that we share time with was already playing and He knocked three children down and ran to the slide and down he came with much joy and satisfaction.

The parent in me boiled. "I just told him not to do that. I gave him step by step instructions and even told him why it is good to make good choices--and He did the opposite."

My Spirit groaned as I realized that I too am impulsive. I, too, react without thinking of others. I am the impulsive little boy that hides from God.

He clothed Adam and Eve with a sacrifice and He clothes us with the righteousness of Christ.

Because of that grace, I challenge you to come clean with God...and ENJOY HIM. I release you to play this week, squeal and run and chase after the one who loves YOU, and longs to spend quality time with you, slow down long enough to hear His laughter and let him catch you.